Clock striking mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

P. G. BERLING. CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

3 SHBETSSHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: I ZZZ "ma mums PEYERS co. pnuro uma. NP-SHINGTON, n. c.

F. G. BERLI'NG.

GLOGK STRIKING MECHANISM. APPLICATION rum) JUNE 1, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-43113135.

. ATTORNEY c PHOTO-UTNCL. WASNINGYDN, n.

PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

No. 747,676. PATENTED DEC. 22,' 1903.

F. G. BERLING.

CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

K0 MODEL.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

ma mRms PEYERS co Wcrauruo ,wAsnmoTnN. a. c.

UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

FRANZ G. BERLING, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

CLOCK STRlKlNG MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,676, dated December22, 1903.

Application filed June I 1903. Serial No. 159,611. (No model.)

T 00% whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANZ G. BERLING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Clock Strike Mechanism;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a clock strike mechanism;

that can be cheaply manufactured, having a minimum number of workingparts adapted to be applied to the common forms of clockswithoutinterferin g with the clock mechanism and without requiring anyextensive changes in the clock works or frame.

Further objects are to adapt the strike mechanism to repeat hours andquarter-hours or other subdivisions whenever desired and to insuresteady uniform strokes of the bell at regular intervals.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is an elevation, partly broken away, showing the strikingmechanism ready to strike the hour. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing theposition of the mechanism after striking the hour. Fig. 3 is an edgeview of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail showing therepeating device. Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the hour and quarter-hour cams. Fig. 7 is a perspective of thecam and wheel that regulate the number of strokes. Fig. 8 is a rear viewof a clock to which my improvement is attached. Fig. 9 is a side view ofthe same, partly broken away.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists in a curvedmember or quadrant l, pivotally mounted on the frame of the clock, so asto move up and down in the arc of a circle. On the outer end of the quadrant are projecting pins 2, adapted to suecessively trip thestriking-lever 3, so that the bell is struck once for every pin thatpasses the trip 4. Fixed to the opposite end of the quadrant-lever is asegmental gear 5, that intermeshes with a loose pinion 6, revolublymounted on the shaft 8 of one of the wheels 9 of the clock-train. Fixedto the pinion 6 is a toothed wheel 7, also loosely mounted on the shaft.On the wheel 9 of the clock-train is a spring-pressed pawl 10, arrangedto engage the teeth on the wheel 7. WVhile the clock is running thetrain-wheel 9 revolves in the direction of the arrow. When thequadrantis pushed up, the segmental gear 5 moves down and the pinion 6and wheel 7 revolve to the right and. the pawl 10 slides over the teethof the wheel 7. As the quadrant 1 moves down under the action of thespring 11, provided for the purpose, the pawl engages the wheel 7, andthe quadrant can then move down only so fast as the slowly-revolvingwheel 0 of the clock-train permits. Thus the pins 2 are moved downslowly, successively tripping the striking-hammer at regular intervals.

To automatically move the quadrant up to its proper striking position, acam 12 is provided on the minute-hand spindle of the clock, and sorevolves once an hour. The edge of the cam presses against the roller 13on the quadrant, thus reducingfriction while the quadrant is beingraised. The roller drops off the pointof the cam once each hour, thespring draws the quadrant down, and the clock strikes.

To strike the proper number of times, a strike-regulating cam 14 isloosely mounted on a pin 15, fixed to the clock-frame. On the peripheryof the cam is a series of twelve notches at different distances from itscenter corresponding to the twelve hours. Fixed to this cam is a wheel16, having twelve depressions. A spring 17 holds the wheel in place.Fixed to the cam 12 is a projecting finger 18, that turns the wheel onespace each hour, and consequently moves the strikeregulating cam 14: onenotch per hour. To stop the striking mechanism when the proper number ofstrokes has been given, an arm 19 is fixed to the quadrant l and engagesthe notches of the strike-regulating cam, bringing the quadrant to rest,thereby preventing more than the proper number of pins from passing thetrip.

By the above simple means a striking mechanism is produced that willstrike the hours regularly.

To further increase the usefulness of the device, I have provided amechanism whereby the apparatus will'not only strike the hours, but maybe made to repeat not only the hours, but the nearest quarter-hours, sothat one may ascertain the time in the dark. To strike thequarter-hours, four additional pins 2" are provided on the quadrant,separated a short distance from the hour-pins. The four quarter-hoursare struck automatically when the quadrant is pushed up, so

that the trip successively engages the four pins. To indicate thenearest quarter-hour,

a stop is provided that prevents the quadrant from being pushed upbeyond the proper quarter-hour pin. This stop consists in an arm 20,fixed to the quadrantl and havinga projection 20 adapted to engage theedge of the quarter-hour cam 21. This cam is fixed to the minute-handspindle and revolves with it and with the hour-striking cam 12. Thedistances of its edges from the center fixes the limit of upwardmovement permitted the quadrant, so that on the first quarter-hour onlyone pin can be pushed beyond the trip at and at the fourth quarter fourpins can be pushed above the trip. During the first half-hour thismechanism will repeat without difficulty; but when the hour-cam 12begins to raise the quadrant by bearing against the wheel 13, as shownin Fig. 1, the desired downward movement of the quadrant in repeatingwould be encroached upon by the cam. To avoid this difficulty and topermit the mechanism to repeat correctly at any time, I mount the wheel13 on an auxiliary arm 22, as shown in Fig. 4:. This arm is normallyheld by frictional contact or by any suitable form of clasp closeagainst the arm of the quadrant, but may be easily separated therefromby means of a projecting pin 23, that protrudes back of the clock, asshown in Figs. 8 and 9. A similar pin 24 is provided on thequadrant-arm. To strike the hours, the two pins 23 and 24: are pressedtogether, so that the arm 22, carrying the wheel 13, coincides with thequadrant-arm; but to repeat when the hour is nearly completed and thehour-cam is in the position shown in Figs. 1

v and 4 the pins are separated, as shown in Fig.

8, thus separating the two arms, and the lower or repeating arm is thenpushed up, carrying the quadrant up as far as it will go. On its waydown the quadrant repeats the quarterhour and then the hour. This may bedone as many times as desired. While the two pins 23 and 24 areseparated the clock will operate simply as a repeater, not striking thehours; but as soon as the two pins are pressed together,thus fixing thewheel 13 on the quadrant-arm, it becomes again an hour-strikingmechanism.

A clock fitted with this mechanism will strikein any position. Instriking the strokes are at regular intervals apart. The clockhands canbe set in any position Without interfering with the action of the strikemechanism. For instance, if the hands are set ahead three hours thestrike mechanism also goes ahead three hours. It is com pact, easilyapplied to existing forms of clocks or watches, and is inexpensive tomanufacture.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a striking mechanism, the combination with the clock-train of astriking-hammer having a trip; a pivotally mounted springactuated arm;projections at the outer end of said arm adapted to successively engagesaid trip; a segmental gear fixed to the rear end of said arm; a pinionloosely mounted on the spindle of one of the revolving Wheels of theclock-train and meshing with said gear; a toothed Wheel fixed to saidpinion and a pawl arranged to lock the toothed wheel to the train-wheelwhen the quadrant moves down.

2. In a striking mechanism, the combination with the clock-train of astriking-hammer having a trip; a pivotally mounted spring-actuated arm;projections at the outer end of said arm adapted to successively engagesaid trip; a segmental gear fixed to the rear end of said arm; apinionloosely mounted on the spindle of one of the revolving wheels ofthe clock-train and meshing with said gear; a toothed Wheel fixed tosaid pinion and a pawl arranged to lock the toothed wheel to thetrain-wheel when the quadrant moves down; a quadrant-raising cam fixedto the minute-hand spindle of the train and adapted to raise thequadrant-arm and release it at each revolution; a revoluble notched cam;a wheel, having depressions, secured thereto; a springengaging saidWheel; a projecting arm fixed to the quadrant-raising cam and adapted toengage the depressions of said wheel; and a projecting arm carried bythe quadrant and adapted to engage the notches of the notched cam.

3. In a striking mechanism, the combination with the clock-train of astriking-hammer having a trip; a pivotally mounted spring-actuated arm;projections at the outer end of said arm adapted to successively engagesaid trip; a segmental gear fixed to the rear end of said arm; a pinionloosely mounted on the spindle of one of the revolving wheels of theclock-train and meshing with said gear; a toothed wheel fixed to saidpinion and a pawl arranged to lock the toothed wheel to the train-wheelwhen the quadrant moves down; a quadrant-raising cam fixed to theminute-hand spindle of the train and adapted to raise the quadrant-armand release it at each revolution; a revoluble notched cam; a wheel,having depressions, secured thereto; a springengaging said wheel; aprojecting arm fixed to the quadrant-raising cam and adapted to engagethe depresrant-arm and having a roller at its outer end; 10 sions ofsaid wheel; a projecting arm carried together with means for temporarilydetachby the quadrant and adapted to engage the ing' said arm from thequadrant-arm;

notches of the notched cam; a quarter-hour In testimony whereof I afi'ixmy signature cam fixed to the minute-hand spindle of the l in presenceof two witnesses.

train; an arm carried by the quadrant-arm l FRANZ G. BERLING.

and adapted to engage the quarter-hour cam Witnesses:

to limit the upward movement of the quad- JAMES C. HANSON,

rant; an arm pivotally mounted on the quad- A. A. EASTERLY.

